A little while ago, I wrote about challenging ourselves, and I mentioned my son training for an Ironman competition. Well… it’s now officially five weeks until the big day. (I’m not sure who’s more nervous at this point — him or me.)
Training, as you can probably imagine, hasn’t exactly been a smooth journey. There have been highs, lows, and a few “why am I doing this again?” moments thrown in for good measure. A couple of minor injuries have made appearances, along with some brilliant training sessions… and some that were probably best forgotten.
But honestly, watching him give it everything he’s got has been amazing. The level of dedication is something else. He’s juggling working full time and a full-on training schedule, which basically means any spare time is spent swimming, cycling, running… or eating the whole contents of the fridge.
Each discipline has had its own little drama. The running has been going brilliantly — strong, consistent, everything you’d hope for — until we discovered his brand-new trainers are, apparently, illegal for the race. Who knew running shoes could be so rebellious? So yes, a new (and hopefully law-abiding) pair is now on the way.
Swimming is going well, thankfully — no major incidents to report there, which feels like a win in itself. The cycling, on the other hand, has included an unexpected flying lesson courtesy of a pothole. One minute you’re cycling along nicely, the next… you’re airborne. Honestly, don’t even get me started on potholes — they’ve got a lot to answer for.
It all comes back to that idea of challenging ourselves. Because let’s be real — it would be much easier to sit on the sofa with a cup of tea and a biscuit (or three) than train for an Ironman. But where’s the story in that?
I was watching the London Marathon last weekend, and it really hit home. There are so many incredible, inspirational people out there doing extraordinary things — and not all of them are elite athletes. Some are just everyday people deciding to do something a little bit mad… and going for it anyway.
So maybe that’s the takeaway: challenge yourself, embrace the chaos (and the occasional illegal trainer situation), and just keep going — preferably avoiding potholes where possible.
Reach Behaviour 